Elevating and bunching attachment for mowing-machines.



R. WALKER. BLBVATING AND BUNOHING ATTACHMENT FOR MOWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAR. 24, 1911 1,021 ,023. Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

3 BHEBTS-BHEBT 1.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM w/summon. DJC.

R. WALKER. ELEVATING AND BUNOHING ATTACHMENT FOR mowm'e MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMGZA PLANOGRAPM 110.. WASHINGTON, u. C.

R. WALKER.

ELEVATING AND BUNCHING ATTACHMENT FOR MOWING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION rum) JAN. 24, 1911.

1,021 ,023. Patented Mar-.26, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

RALPH WALKER, OF WESTHOPE, NORTH DAKOTA.

ELEVATING AND BUNCHING-ATTAGHMENT FOR MOWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Application filed January 24, 1911. Serial No. 604,456.

To all whom it may concem: Be it known that I, RALPH l VALKER, citizenof the United States, residing at .Westthe mower for the purpose ofpermitting the sun and air to have full play in curing the hay or grain.

The primary object of my invention is the production of a device of thischaracter which is of a very simple, strong and eifective character,which shall so deliver the hay or grain cut by the mower as to removethe objectionable feature of having the horses trampling over the hay orgrain during the next succeeding round, and eliminating the necessity ofraking or teddering the hay or rain.

A further object is to construct a device of this character so that thehay or grain shall not be dragged through the stubble in the operationof elevating and delivering it, which dragging of the hay or grainthrough the stubble causes shelling of the seed.

A further object is to make the device so light that no materialincrease in draft will be caused.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure1 is a perspective view of my improved attachment in conjunction with amowing machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, a portion of the mowingmachine being shown. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rear end of myattachment. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line H of Fig. 2. Fig. 5is a transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is afragmentary detail perspective view of one of the angleiron frame-barsand a side-board connected therewith.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawingsby the same reference characters.

Referring to these figures it will be seen that the invention broadlyconsidered, includes an elevating device, or carrier, adapted to beattached to the finger-bar of a mowing machine, and in connection withthis elevator, the provision of a transversely extending side deliverychute attached to the rear of the elevator. It further consists incombination with the elevator and chute, as above described, of meansco-acting with the chute for preventing the delivery of material fromthe chute, except at desired points, and also the provision of meanswhereby the elevating attachment may be drawn out of operation whendesired, and of means for preventing the reverse action of the elevatingattachment when the mowing machine moves rearward.

Referring particularly to the drawings it will be seen that in theembodiment of my invention disclosed, I have rovided a supportingframework comprislng two parallel oppositely placed longitudinallyextending supporting bars 2, preferably formed of angle iron, the angleiron being so placed that one flange thereof extends vertically and theother horizontally, the vertical flanges of the 1 angle irons beingadjacent to each other, and the horizontal flanges extending outward.Supported upon the angle iron supporting bars 2 is a deck 3, preferablyformed of sheet iron. This deck 1s supported by means of transversesupporting bars 4. There may be as many of these bars 4. as necessary,but I have shown three for the purpose of supporting the deck, onelocated at each end of the frame and one located in the middle. Mountedat the upper and lower ends of the side-bars 2 are the elevator rollers5 which are preferably, though not necessarily made of wood, and aremounted on shafts 6 which extend through the vertical flanges of theside-bars. I of course, do not wish to be limited to any, particularmeans whereby these rollers 5 are supported. Preferably, however, theshafts of the rollers are mounted in suitable journal boxes attached tothe side-bars 2. Extending over the rollers 5 are the conveyer belts 7.There are preferably three of these belts, one at each end of therollers and one in the middle. These bolts are each provided withbuckles 7*, whereby the belts may be taken up or loosened to permit theproper adjustment of the belts. These belts pass over the face of thesheet iron deck 3 and carry a plurality of transverse slats 8 which areattached in any suitable manner to the belts. It will be obvious that asthe belts move upward over the face of the deck 3 that the slats willcarry up material delivered to the carrier.

Detachably mounted on the side-bars 2 are the side-boards 9 which areremovable from the side-bars. Preferably these boards 9 are providedwith downwardly p-roject ing pins 10 which fit into openings 11 formedin the horizontal flanges of the side-bars 2. The lower ends of theseside-boards are tapered as at 12. In order to provide for a properattachment to the finger-bar of a mowing machine I provide flexibleconnec t-ions between the lower ends of the side-bars 2 and thefinger-bar. For this purpose I have shown 2 as being provided withhinges 13 which are permanently attached to the side-bars 2 and whichare thereby attached in any suitable manner to the finger-bar 14 of themowing machine. This connection permits the elevator to rise and fallwith irregularities in the ground and also permits the cutter-bar to beraised or lowered as usual to adjust the cut of the machine.

In order to support the elevator,I provide it on its under side with acaster-wheel which is so mounted that it may turn entirely around in ahorizontal plane. Preferably for the support of this wheel I provide theinclined braces 15 illustrated in Fig. 4 which are attached at theirouter ends to the sidebars 2 and which extend inward and downward towardeach other. These braces are connected by a transverse brace 16. I alsoprovide the forwardly and outwardly inclined braces 17 which areattached at their inner ends to the transverse brace 16 and at theirouter ends to the side-bars 2. The braces 15 are connected by a brace 18so as to provide a suitable bearing for the pintle 19 of thecaster-wheel 20. The pintle 19 of the caster-wheel is rotatably mountedin the braces 16 and 18 so that the wheel may have free rotatablemovement.

As a means for driving the elevating mechanism I provide the shaft 6 ofthe uppermost roller 5 with a gear wheel 21 which meshes with agear-wheel 22 attached to a sleeve 23 rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft24. The outer end of this sleeve is formed with ratchet-teeth 25 andmounted on the shaft 2 1 is a sleeve 26 which has a sliding movement onthe shaft 24 and to which is attached the sprocket wheel 27. The spring28 surrounds the shaft 2 1 and bears at one end against a head 29 and atits other end bears against the gear-wheel 27 to force the gear-wheeland the sleeve 26 inward so that the teeth on the sleeve 26 shall engagewith the ratchet-teeth 25. It will thus be seen that I have provided aclutch engagement between the sprocket wheel 27 and the gear-wheel 22.For the purpose of drawing the sleeves 23 and 26 out of engagement witheach other I pro- .vide the lever 30 which is preferably attached in anysuitable manner to the frame of the machine and whose inner end is inengagement wit-h the sleeve 26. The free end of the lever 30 extendsupward into convenient position to be operated by the driver of themachine. Passing over the sprocket wheel 27 is a sprocket chain 31 whichin turn passes over a sprocket wheel 32 which is attached to one of thetraction wheels of the mowing machine. Power is thus transmitted fromthe traction wheel of the mowing machine to the sprocket wheel 27 andfrom this sprocket wheel power is transmitted to the uppermost roller 5to cause the elevation of the conveyer belts. It will be seen that uponany rearward movement of the mowing machine the teeth on the sleeve 26will escape from any engagement with the teeth on the sleeve 23 and thatthus the gear-wheel 22 will not be actuated. Any forward movement of themowing machine will, however, cause the actuation of the gear-wheel 22,gear-wheel '21 and the elevating mechanism.

Mounted at the upper end of the elevator and beneath the roller 5 is thetransversely extending chute 33. This chute is inclined downward so thatit delivers material immediately behind the mowing machine. The chute isrelatively contracted at its upper end and expands toward its lower endand may be supported upon the rear end of the frame in any suitablemanner. Extending across the delivery end of the chute is a rod 34 whichcarries aplurality of curved fingers 35 which extend down to the bottomof the chute. Ext-ending across and attached to these curved fingers isa spacing rod 36 which extends upward to any convenient point where itmay be easily handled by the operator on the mowing machine. By raisingthis rod 36 the fingers may be lifted and the material within the chutewill be allowed to be discharged therefrom.

In the practical operation of my invention it will be seen that as thegrass or grain is cut that it will fall upon the elevating devices andbe carried upward and discharged into the chute 33'. It will collectinto this until such time as the fingers 35 are raised when it will bedischarged in a bunch immediately behind the mower and at such distanceas the operator may determine.

The deviceis adapted to elevate and windrow or bunch, timothy, clover,alfalfa, wheat, oats, barley, flax, peas, beans or any kind of hay orgrain, and it will deliver the same in light loose windrows or bunches,on top of the stubble, and to one side and directly behind the main bodyof the mower, thus allowing the sun and air to have full play in curingthe hay or grain and entirely removing the objectionable feature ofhaving the horses tramping over the hay or grain during the succeedinground or while raking or teddering.

It will be seen that my attachment receives the hay or grain immediatelyit is cut and therefore does not drag the hay or grain through thestubble. My device has a decided advantage over other windrows andbunchers in which, in order to collect the hay or grain inbunches dragthe hay or grain through the stubble, thus causing the shelling of theseed.

My invention attempts to do away wit-h the necessity of using hay-rakes,side delivery rake or tedders, as the attachment leaves the hay or grainin loose windrows or bunches and on top of the stubble and in suchcondition that it may be easily cured by the sun and air.

The attachment is so light that it will cause no material increase inthe draft of the mowing machine and particularly in View of the factthat it does not drag the cut hay or grain through the stubble.

It will be noticed that the caster wheel is placed nearer to the gearside of the machine than it is to the outside thereof. This is done inorder to guard against overbalancing of the machine by the pull on theshaft and the weight of the load in the lower end of the chute whenbunching hay or grain.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. Thecombination with a mowing machine including a traction wheel and afinger bar, of a supporting frame hingedly connected to the finger bar,a caster wheel mounted beneath the middle of the frame for free rotationin a horizontal plane, an upwardly inclined floor carried by the frameand extending at right angles to the finger bar, conveyer rollersdisposed at the upper and lower ends of the floor, elevator beltspassing over said rollers, the belts being connected by transversemembers, a transversely extending, downwardly inclined chute downwardlywidening toward its lower end and supported beneath the upper end of theelevator floor, a plurality of finraised, gearing operatively connectingthe uppermost of the elevator rollers to the traction wheel of themowing machine, and means for throwing said earing into or out ofengagement with said 'action wheel.

2. In a mowing machine attachment of the character described, anupwardly inclined wheeled frame, an endless conveycr mounted upon saidframe,.a transversely extending downwardly inclined chute supported atthe rear end of the endless conveyer, said chute being semicircular incross section and widening toward its lower end, a circular support forthe lower end of the chute disposed upon the frame and encircling thechute, a transverse rock shaft passing through the upper margins of theside walls of the chute at the lower end thereof, a plurality ofdepending fingers attached to said rock shaft, and a rigid operating rodattached to said fingers and extending forward.

3. The combination with a mowing machine including a traction wheel anda finger bar, of a supporting frame hingedly connected to the finger barand extending upward and rearward therefrom parallel to the tractionwheel of the machine, a caster wheel mounted beneath the frame formovement in a horizontal plane, said caster wheel being disposed betweenthe axial center of the frame and the mowing machine, an endlessconveycr supported upon the frame, a chute supported atthe upper end ofthe frame extending transversely thereof below the upper end of theendless conveycr, pivoted fingers normally closing the lower end of thechute, and means whereby the fingers may be lifted to permit thecontents of the chute to be dumped.

4. The combination with a mowing machine having traction wheels, afinger bar and a sprocket wheel operatively connected to the tractionwheels, of a wheeled supporting frame hingcdly attached to the fingerbar and extending upward and rearward therefrom, oppositely disposedupper and lower conveycr rollers, an endless conveycr supported on saidrollers, a gear wheel operatively connected to the uppermost roller, agear wheel engaging the first named gear wheel and provided with anoutwardly extending sleeve having ratchet teeth, a sprocket wheel havinga sleeve formed with ratchet teeth engaging the teeth of the first namedsleeve, a spring for holding the ratchet teeth in engagement, manuallyoperated means for shifting the sprocket wheel and sleeve out ofengagement with the first named sleeve and its gear wheel, a sprocketchain passing over said sprocket wheel to the sprocket wheel on themowing machine, a transversely disposed chute mounted immediatelybeneath the rear end of the conveyer, said chute being downwardlyinclined In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature toward the rear ofthe IDOWlIlg lnachlne, 1n presence of tWO wltnesses.

pivoted fin ers dependin into the lower end of the c hute, and a ro dextending from RALPH WVALKER' said fingers whereby they may be operatedWitnesses:

independently of the gear disengaging PERRY COMPTON, means. ROBT.WALKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained fdr five cents each, 'byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

